Comptroller: Sharp Rise In Claims Against NYC Correction Dept

New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer released a ClaimStat Alert today showing that 2,245 Personal Injury Correctional Facility claims were filed against New York City’s Department of Correction (DOC) in FY 2014, an increase of 37 percent over FY 2013 and 114 percent since FY 2009. The ClaimStat Alert also provides a breakdown of claims activity at the facility level, showing that certain units on Rikers Island have seen increased claims activity in recent years.

“The culture of violence detailed in recent reports on Rikers Island has made it clear that we are potentially facing a humanitarian crisis in our City’s largest jail,” Comptroller Stringer said. “My ClaimStat Alert on the Department of Correction shows a startling rise in claims across many of our City’s jails over the past five years. Reducing violence in our jails is critically important, not only for inmates and Correction employees, but for taxpayers who are on the hook for millions of dollars in settlements and judgments every year.”

In July, Comptroller Stringer launched ClaimStat, a data-driven tool designed to drive down the cost of judgments and settlements by empowering City agencies to reduce claims through changes in training or resource delivery.